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Quality players left entering Day 2 of Draft

Quality players left entering Day 2 of Draft

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By Jonathan Mayo
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MLB.com |

SECAUCUS, N.J. -- Washington Nationals, you are on the clock with the first pick ... again.

Sure, it may not be as sexy as taking uber-prospect Bryce Harper with the first overall pick on Monday night, but the Nationals will get to kick things off for the second day of the First-Year Player Draft on Tuesday, starting at 12 p.m. ET. And while 50 picks were made during Monday night's start to the Draft, that's barely a drop in the bucket.

Tuesday has Rounds 2-30 on the docket, all carried live on MLB.com. Rounds 31-50 will come on Wednesday. So, while there was plenty of action on Monday to excite -- or dismay -- fans, things are about get going.

There's plenty of extremely solid talent still on boards in all 30 Draft rooms. With 28 of Monday's 50 picks hailing from the high school ranks (and one 17-year-old from the junior college arena), there is a solid crop of college talent that could go flying off the board early on as things get going.

At the top of the "When will he go?" list is University of Texas right-hander Brandon Workman. The Longhorns standout is still playing -- Texas has advanced to Super Regional play this coming weekend -- but nearly everyone thought he'd have known his Draft status by now. While Workman has a limited ceiling, most saw him as a fairly safe college pick, a guy who had success at a major college program and had some decent stuff to go along with it. Many projected him to be gone by the middle of the first round.

As time wore on, however, and his name did not come off the board, one had to wonder what the issue was. One potential issue could be signability, as there are no reported injury issues with Workman. At the conclusion of Monday night's activities, word was coming out from Draft rooms that perhaps that was the case. As he slid, Workman reportedly was turning down the money that would have been offered to him as a sandwich round pick, seeking something in the $1-million-or-higher neighborhood. The number, if accurate, would signify the view of him as being a first-round talent.

Other college talent that some thought could have gone on Monday but is still hanging around includes pitchers like Arkansas RHP (and OF) Brett Eibner, Virginia Tech's Jesse Hahn (who has some injury concerns with a forearm strain), and San Diego LHP Sammy Solis. Relievers like Texas Tech's Chad Bettis and UCLA's Dan Klein can still be had.

College bats tend to float up when the Draft comes around, but there's still plenty to be found. Hahn's teammate, outfielder Austin Wates, West Virginia infielder Jedd Gyorko, University of Michigan OF Ryan LaMarre, Jacksonville State outfielder Todd Cunningham and Georgia Tech's Derek Dietrich were all mentioned at one point or another as in the first-round, or at least first day, picture.

The two top unsigned picks from 2009 are still on the board. Lefty James Paxton headed to independent-league ball instead of Kentucky after a dispute with the NCAA, and he's still available following early reports that he was touching 94 mph. LeVon Washington didn't sign with the Rays after going in the first round last year, but hasn't gone yet after a lukewarm season at Chipola Junior College. It's easy to wonder if both regret not having signed a year ago.

That's not to say that there's no younger talent still on the board. The strength of this Draft, most agreed, was in the high school realm, particularly on the mound. There's no question teams will be looking to the prep ranks again as Day 2 gets underway.

"As we have said, and we know, this class is being driven by the youth movement," one scouting director said.

No doubt the biggest name people will want to find out about is Ohio high school right-hander Stetson Allie. Scouts have raved about his big arm, and while there was some concern about his command and his ability to maintain his stuff deep into games, he seemed to make strides on both fronts as the spring progressed. Often, the last impression is the most important prior to the Draft, and in his last start, Allie reportedly hit 100 mph a half-dozen times. Like with Workman, it appears to be a signability issue, with reports surfacing that he's seeking in excess of $2 million for a bonus.

Not surprisingly, there are still plenty of prep arms in Southern California to consider. Gabriel Encinas, Scott Frazier, Griffin Murphy and Adam Plutko lead a group that also includes injured New York RHP Robbie Aviles, Colorado standout Kevin Gausman, A.J. Cole, one of the top high schoolers in Florida, who dropped largely because of signability issues, and South Carolina area star Drew Cisco.

And if it's a young bat you're looking for, there are plenty of raw tools to consider. There was some buzz that Yordy Cabrera from Lakeland, Fla., might go in the opening round, but he's still available. So is Albama area outfielder Reggie Golden, Las Vegas slugger Kris Bryant and Mississippi high school shortstop Jacoby Jones.

There's still something for everyone on the shelves as the shopping continues on Tuesday. Tuesday night's Major League debuts should say all that's needed. There's the 2009 No. 1 pick, Stephen Strasburg, making his first start for the Nationals, and second-rounder Mike Stanton playing in the outfield for the Marlins. Both are top prospects, so there's plenty of reason to stay tuned on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Jonathan Mayo is a reporter for MLB.com.
This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.